Charity's call for people to train as mentors in Reigate

A Surrey charity is calling for more people to join its ranks helping the county's disadvantaged after seeing “a huge increase” in people needing its support.

Surrey Care Trust, which provides learning, training and mentoring to people of all ages and backgrounds who are facing hardship, is calling for volunteers to come and train as mentors.

The cause, which currently has more than 100 volunteer mentors working with over 2,500 people living across Surrey to help turn their lives around, is to run training sessions this July.

Held at the Canon offices in Reigate, professional mentors employed by the Surrey Care Trust will train the volunteers in how to support and motivate adults facing a variety of challenges in life.

In the last few years, the charity has seen a huge increase in people needing this support. The cause helps people improve their life chances by building their confidence and developing important life and work skills.

Its aim is to ensure that the people it supports go on to make a positive contribution to society. Cathy Leamon, mentor co-ordinator at Surrey Care Trust, said: “Mentoring is a valuable way of giving your time to help other people.”

She said: “It can be hugely rewarding. The Surrey Care Trust works with people who can be hard to reach and resistant to change or accepting help and support.”

The charity is looking for people to take part in the training and then to commit to giving a minimum of an hour a week to work with their client.

Ms Leamon said: “We are looking for people who are good listeners, have time for people, can earn their respect and can commit to giving an hour a week.” As a mentor, volunteers would meet with a mentee in a public place, to help them set goals and work towards them.

The goals may include undertaking further learning or employment. Mentoring is about giving advice and guidance and is not a counselling role.

Ms Leamon continued: “As well as helping change peoples’ lives around, our mentors tell us that they get so much out of it too.

“For some it helps enhance their careers, for others they feel positive giving something back, and others even move into a similar professional field.” Many of the people Surrey Care Trust supports are young.

For more information or to book a place, call Cathy Leamon on 07919 213904 or email her at: cathy.leamon@surreycaretrust.org.uk Website: surreycaretrust.org.uk